CD Reviews

Yeah the live stuff is horrid...but its worth it for Spectre

Disintegration | minneapolis, minnesota | 06/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album features 3 amazing studio tracks (well technically there is four but I didnt really enjoy Invocation III)Anyways, yeah most of the live songs are horribly recorded, but overall its worth it for the studio tracks, because they are THAT good. 'Spectre(love is dead)' has become one of my favourite Christian Death pieces ever since I picked this one up. Get this, and then get "Decomposition of Violets' , another live xian death with Rozz album, and that album in my opinion, is the best live album Christian Death ever released(Iconologia is very good also, but 'Decomposition' is slightly better IMHO). Get this album for the studio tracks, and then get The other live album.Overall- 5 stars- David Painter 1334"

Yeah, enough about the live sound quality...STILL GREAT!

Kaenan | Norman, OK | 04/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Much as has been said about the sound quality of this particular release ( yeah---I admit it's bad enough to subtract a star ) but so many people buy CDs for 2 to 4 songs only, and if your're one of those people, get it for the 4 studio gems!
The original, rawer version of " Sleepwalk " with rozz Williams and the " Only Theatre of Pain " line-up of Rikk Agnew, George
Belenger and James McGerty is every bit as good as the " Castorphe Ballet " version ( proving, if nothing else, Valor Kand only PLAYED GUITAR on the CDMK2 vesion and had nothing to do with writing it ( Rozz wrote seven of the nine tracks BY HIMSELF despite pathological liar kand's liner notes in the remaster of CB ). " Invocations III " is a woinderful experimental piece, and " Haloes " and " Spectre " tracks by Rozz with Eric Westerfall are brilliant! " These two songs are very much is the Catostrophe Ballet/Ashes vein; with much more classical oriented instrumentation. As for the live portions; a good document of the ORIGINAL Christian Death in its very early stages with great experimental punk pieces like ' Invocation I"
earlier rawer versions of " Working on Beyond " and " Spiritual Cramp " and " Face "; to unheard gems like " Snakepit ' and " Trials ". yeah the sound quality [is poor] but these ARE BOOTLEGS...hence you shouldn't EXPECT great quality. Highly reccomended.Kaenan"

For the Rozz completists ONLY

Matthew | Pittsburgh | 01/03/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Though the intensity of an early Christian Death live show does come across wonderfully, the sound quality is terrible and practically unlistenable. There are a handful of other live Christian Death CDs featuring Rozz that are much better. However, there are a few good studio tracks that are available here. The demo of "Sleepwalk" is quite cool, raw and interesting but only slightly different than the original - which is better obviously. "Haloes" is a very catchy, driving track. One of Rozz's most accessible albeit quirky songs that has received a good bit of club play over the years. The song is available on Cleopatra's 2 CD Gothik compilation and it also appears on the "Best of Christian Death" compilation. However, "Spectre (Love Is Dead)" is an equally good song which shows Rozz wearing his David Bowie influences proudly on his sleeve. However, this song is available only on this release and I don't think that song alone is worth the price of admission. My advice for Rozz fans and Christian Death completists..."